Equipment for use with casketlowering devices



Oct. 15, 19 J. H. LAMPE EQUIPMENT FOR USE WITH CASKET-LOWERING DEVICES Filed Oct. 15, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l Indenior /5271 4. lam 0e Attorneys Oct. 15, 1940 J, LAMPE 2,218,286

EQUIPMENT FOR USE WITH CASKET-LOWERING DEVICES Filed Oct. 13, 1939 2 Sheets-Shee 1. 2

lnvent or Q/a Ia Wp'e By i I A itor neys f- Patented Oct. 15, 1940 UNITED STATES EQUIPMENT FOR USE WITH CASKET- LOWERING'DEYICES' H John H. Lampe, Pocahontas, if

Application October 13, 1939,1Serial N0. zoass vj- 2 Claims. (01.19 2);

This invention relates broadly to casket-loweringdevices, and more particularly to equipment for use in connection therewith to facilitate the placing of the casket or the box containing the casket on the lowering device; and the invention together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a casket-lowering device having the equipment contemplated by this invention associated therewith.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the assembly shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with a portion of the casket or rough box therefor shown for the purpose of illustrating the application of the invention. 1

Figure 4 is a perspective View of a bracket and roller assembly forming part of the invention.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a rollerequipped truck forming part of the invention.

Referring more in detail to the drawings it will be seen that 5 indicates generally a more or less conventional and well-known type of casketlowering device. In the present instance the device 5 is shown as consisting of a frame having longitudinal or side members 6 and end members I. The side members 6 have windable thereon straps 8 that are arranged to receive the cover,

plate 9 of the usual grave vault and which cover plate is generally placed first into the grave with the casket and the body, box-like in form, of the vault is then lowered into position onto the cover plate 9 as is believed to be well-known.

In accordance with the present invention the casket lowering device 5 is supported on a frame structure ID that embodies side and end members joined together at the corners of the frame ill by hollow corner posts H that are longitudinally adjustable for elevating the frame I!) and for levelling the same. In this connection it will be noted that the corner posts 75 of the casket raising and lowering device 5 set on the corner posts ll of the frame It] so that the raising and lowering device 5 will be raised or lowered and levelled in accordance with the raising and lowering or levelling of.the frame It].

Further in accordance with the present invention there is provided for disposition at one end of the casket-lowering device 5 a bracket indicated generally by the reference numeral l2.

The bracket l2 comprises a pair of spaced posts l3 connected together intermediate their ends by a spacer bar-l4 that in the present instanceis shown integral with-lthe' postsllSy.

' The posts l3.at the'upper ends thereof are pro vided with bearings" l5 in whi'ch are:ijournaled' thepintles of a rollerp-lfiimrThe rollent6 may. con-Z sist of a woodenfcor'eowitl'iapbras's covering or surface or'may bel -in the haturerofra rubber roller as found desirablef f i -'For mounting the bracket": I 2 in position P the standards .orposts: 13 of the bracket adjacent the upper ce'nds thereofi (are:.-provided with; integral hooks I? that engage o'verrraha=endirailol;.ofithe casket-lowering device 5as clearly suggested in Fig. 3.

The lower ends of the legs or posts l3 are slotted as at l8 to accommodate nut-equipped bolts I 9 through the medium of which substantially inverted U-shaped clips 20 are adjustably secured to the legs or standards l3.

As shown in Fig. 3 the clips 25 engage over the adjacent end rail Illa, of the levelling frame In.

Thus through the medium of the hooks l1 and the clips 28 the roller-equipped bracket H2 is secured in position at one end of the casket-lowering device 5; and by the adjustability of the clips 20 on the legs or standards l3 said bracket 12 can be used in connection with substantially any known type of casket-lowering device.

Also in accordance with the present invention there is provided, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, a truck indicated generally by the reference numeral 2i.

The truck 2! comprises a substantially rectangular frame 24 formed of iron or other suitable material provided at its opposite ends with bearings 22 in which are journaled the pintles of an elongated roller 23 that is of a length substantially equal to the length of the frame 24 of the carriage 2 I.

Also at the corners thereof the frame 24 of the carriage is provided with upstanding prongs 25 that will imbed themselves'in the bottom of the casket or the rough box in-which the casket is usually placed, and as shown in Fig. 3, when an end portion of such casket or box is placed thereon.

The utility and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following:

In using the apparatus of the invention the frame I0 is of course placed in position after which the casket-lowering device 5 is mounted on the frame as shown. The frame Hi and casketlowering device 5 is then levelled as found desirable and the cover of the grave vault 9 is then properly positioned on the casket-raising and lowering device 5.

The bracket I2 is then mounted at one end of the device 5 and frame In as hereinbefore explained and the carriage or truck 2| then placed on the vault covering 9 a reasonable distance from the bracket l2, as for example about two feet from said bracket.

One end of the casket or the roughbox containing the same is placed on the roller 5 mounted on the bracket l2 and the casket then pushed forward until the forward end thereof is slightly past or beyond the truck 2| when said end of the casket or box containing the same is then low-n cred down into a position for rest on the frame 24 of the truck or carriage 2| as shown in Fig. 3. The prongs 25 will then bite into the bottom of the casket or box 26 containing the casket, as the case may be, and further movement of the casket or box 26 longitudinally will of course result in the carriage or truck 2| moving therewith so that this movement of the casket or box containing the same can be accomplished without much effort and in this way the casketor-box 26 brought into a proper position of rest on the vault cover 9. When this object has been completed then the device 5 is operated for lowering the casket or box 26 into the grave. In connection with the above it will of course be understood that just immediately prior to the actual lowering of the casket the carriage 2| will be removed from beneath the casket or box 26.

It is thought that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of an invention of this character will be had without a more detailed description.

Having thus described the invention claimed as new is:

1. A device for use in connection with a casketlowering device, said device including a bracket embodying a pair of standards, a spreader bar connecting said standards, a roller supported between the standards at the upper ends of the latter, support-engaging hooks on the standards adjacent the upper ends thereof, and additional support-engaging clips adjustably mounted on said standards at the lower ends of the latter.

2. A device for use in connection with a casketlowering device, said device including a bracket embodying a pair of standards, a spreader bar connecting said standards, a roller supported between the standards at the upper ends of the latter, support-engaging hooks on the standards adjacent the upper ends thereof, and additional support-engaging clips adjustably mounted on said standards at the lower ends of the latter, for

what is use in combination with a casket-receiving truck embodying a rectangular frame equipped with bearings at the opposite ends thereof and a roller having pintles journaled in said bearings.

JOHN H. LAMPE. 

